As we wrote a few weeks ago, engineers have recently come up with ways of generating electricity from the pressure in the water distribution system. The video below is a concept for something similar–though on a smaller scale: a pipe that uses the rush of water to generate electricity to power lightbulbs.

The idea comes from Ryan Jongwoo Choi, a South Korean design student studying at London’s Central Saint Martins school. He says the concept is designed for communities without access to electricity, but with running water. The device is fitted into a standard pipe, and the lightbulbs, which store small amounts of energy, slotted into the top.

“Many people just unnecessarily leave their water tap open in their daily lives and this is such a serious waste of resources,” Choi says. “So I was focused on changing that wasted water into another type of energy source. If we apply this product to the existing pipe lines or to new ones which will be produced, it will be a very valuable energy source for the people who need small bit of light.”

“And we can also enlighten people to the fact that the water we use is a valuable resource that can be used again as a source of energy.”

A word of caution: Choi has not yet got further than the drawing board. There’s no prototype, or scale model, though he claims companies have been in touch about building something. “My next step [is to] check the engineering part,” he says. Hopefully he, or someone else, will get around to it.